James Franco

During the 1990s, actor James Franco broke out as one of the era's go-to guys by playing sports heroes, disaffected pretty boys and rebellious burnouts with equal appeal. His career began in the brill...
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Stars including Kim Kardashian, Julianne Moore, Taylor Swift and Demi Lovato have waded into a raging online debate over a colour-changing dress. The picture of the gown was initially posted on Tumblr.com and has since become an Internet sensation as viewers argue over whether it appears to be white and gold, or blue and black.
It became a trending topic on Twitter.com and a slew of stars have gone online to debate the issue. Pop singer Swift writes, "I don't understand this odd dress debate and I feel like it's a trick somehow. I'm confused and scared. PS it's obviously blue and black," while Lovato adds, "Wow... My mind is blown. Civil war in the studio right now. #blueandblack... Hold on... So people actually see white and gold....??!!"
Kardashian posted a response to Lovato, writing, "I do! How do you see black & blue?????"
Oscar-winning actress Julianne Moore also joined the debate, adding, "What's the matter with u (sic) guys, it's white and gold," and fellow Hollywood star James Franco added, "Dress controversy... Violet and black! Obvs (obviously)."

This Sunday will be Neil Patrick Harris’ first time hosting the Oscars. Can you believe it? He’s practically hosted every other awards show (from the Tonys to the Emmys), but now he’s in the big leagues – among such iconic hosts as Bob Hope, Johnny Carson, and…Donald Duck? Yep, that’s right. The animated cartoon character actually co-hosted the ceremony back in 1958. We’re just glad we weren’t alive to witness that. But we’ve witnessed our fair share of other hosts, from bad to good. Allow us to rank them for you.
10. Anne Hathway &amp; James Franco (2011)
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Everyone was left scratching their heads when this hosting duo was announced, and Anne and James didn’t do much to allay people’s concerns. Anne tried way too hard, and James just didn’t try enough, resulting in a disastrous show that likely solidified the notion that producers should stick to comedians for the job.
9. Hugh Jackman (2009)
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Sorry, Jackman. You’re a lovely singer and dancer, but this ain’t the Tonys. It was too much Broadway flair and not enough jokes.
8. David Letterman (1995)
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It was the “Oprah, Uma” gag that did him in. It just went on for way too long, and Hollywood was not amused.
7. Seth MacFarlane (2013)
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The Family Guy creator was an odd choice simply because we don’t see him in front of the camera much. He took risks with some edgier jokes (Such as: "['Django Unchained'] is the story of a man fighting to get back his woman, who's been subjected to unthinkable violence. Or as Chris Brown and Rihanna call it, a date movie.") and received a mixed response from critics.
6. Billy Crystal (1990 - 1993, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2012)
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He’s hosted a TON of times (9 to be exact), with varying degrees of success. The best part is whenever he inserts himself into the Oscar-nominated films. But when they brought him back to host the 2012 awards after Eddie Murphy dropped out, we sort of felt like he was the “safe” choice. He did play it safe, and in effect, the show was a bit boring.
5. Whoopi Goldberg (1994, 1996, 1999, 2002)
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Remember when she appeared on stage in full Queen Elizabeth I regalia? She really went for it and nailed it.
4. Chris Rock (2005)
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When he hosted, they had the telecast run on a 7-second delay – just in case. We know at least one person wasn’t a fan. After Chris made a joke about Jude Law, a humorless Sean Penn took the stage to criticize the comedian, calling Jude one of the industry’s “finest actors.” At least Chris stayed true to his own boisterous style.
3. Steve Martin &amp; Alec Baldwin (2010)
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Ok, so the pairing may have just been because they had recently starred in a movie together (It’s Complicated), but these two proved to complement each other quite nicely. Steve is a veteran host and knows how to work the room, and Alec is just naturally funny. They're no Tina and Amy, though...
2. Jon Stewart (2002, 2006)
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The things about Jon Stewart is that he’s smart. Very smart. He deftly balanced the political jokes with his hilarious insights on Hollywood and we were thoroughly entertained. Maybe now that he's retiring from The Daily Show, it'll free him up to host more awards shows.
1. Ellen DeGeneres (2007, 2014)
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Nevermind the fact that she took that epic celebrity selfie, she brought PIZZA for everyone last year. Hands down the best.
Who was YOUR favorite Oscar host? Tell us on Twitter!
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Freaks and Geeks was tragically canceled after only 12 episodes had aired -- a mistake many have come to learn throughout the years as the series has found a cult following and a new appreciation. Its cast is filled with some of the most recognizable and lovable faces around today. Here are the audition tapes from those faces, trying to land the roles we'd come to love them for:
Linda Cardellini, Lindsay Weir
We could really never picture any other actor playing Lindsay Weir, and she had it down pat even in her audition. Since playing lead character (and eternal style icon) Lindsay Weir, Cardellini has starred as the perm-getting murderess from Legally Blonde and Velma in the Scooby Doo movies, as well as maintaining a long run on ER and an Emmy-nominated guest role on Mad Men. More recently, she's done voice work with various TV shows.
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John Francis Daley, Sam Weir
"So that means she had sex in February." He straight up kills this audition and perfectly embodies the adorable Sam Weir. Best known for his facial expressions throughout the short-lived series, Daley has become well known to fans of the hit show Bones, starring as Dr. Lance Sweets since season 3. He also writes movies like Horrible Bosses and The Incredible Burt Wonderstone nowadays too.
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Seth Rogen, Ken Miller
"That's why when some idiot teacher tells me that I'm not living up to my potential, I just smile 'cause I know I am." It seems from this clip, Seth Rogen hasn't changed much, thankfully. Rogen followed his role in Freaks and Geeks with a small role in Donnie Darko and a lead role on the (also tragically short-lived) Judd Apatow-created Undeclared before finding more mainstream success with bigger roles in films like The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up, which he also produced. He's since gone on to write, produce, and star in several other monstrously successful films: Superbad, Pineapple Express, This Is The End, and Neighbors. He's also a known enemy of North Korea.
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Busy Philipps, Kim Kelly
Wow, Busy Philipps totally understood just how mean she was supposed to be. After her turn as McKinley High School's resident mean girl Kim Kelly, Philipps guest starred a few times on Undeclared and then had a longer run as a supporting role on Dawson's Creek. Aside from her film roles in movies like White Chicks and Made of Honor, she can be found currently starring in the sixth and final season of Cougar Town.
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Jason Segel, Nick Andopolis
Absolutely perfect audition, right? No longer just the awkward, Led Zeppelin-obsessed stoner of McKinley, Segel now has a successful film career acting in Knocked Up, I Love You, Man, Bad Teacher, and writing/starring in movies like Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The Muppets, The Five-Year Engagement, and Sex Tape. His TV roles include a memorable recurring role on Undeclared and a lead role on the long-lasting hit series How I Met Your Mother.
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Martin Starr, Bill Haverchuck
"It's called the Hitler Punch." It's clear from this hilarious audition why he got the part! Probably our favorite of the entire bunch, Bill Haverchuck, the geekiest of the geeks, was played perfectly by the lanky and awkward Martin Starr. Starr has gone on to enjoy film roles in Superbad, Knocked Up, and This Is The End, along with a TV role on the hilarious-but-unfortunately-short-lived cult comedy Party Down. He can currently be found on the Emmy-nominated Silicon Valley as Gilfoyle.
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Samm Levine, Neal Schweiber
Yepp, it seems Samm Levine really is Neal Schweiber, doofy impressions and all. Levine followed up his memorable turn as one of Sam Weir's geek best friends with small roles on every show you've ever heard of: Spin City, Yes, Dear, Just Shoot Me!, The Steve Harvey Show, Boston Public, Undeclared, Raising Dad, What I Like About You, Maybe It's Me, The Drew Carey Show, That's So Raven, That 70s Show, How I Met Your Mother, My Name Is Earl, Still Standing, Entourage, Veronica Mars, Lost, 90210, Modern Family, NCIS, Person of Interest, and most recently, Selfie. His film work includes Sydney White, Inglourious Basterds, and I Love You, Beth Cooper.
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While there's no James Franco audition online yet, we're not giving up hope.
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Selena Gomez battled a bout of depression last year (14) after struggling to deal with the intense public scrutiny of her on/off relationship with Justin Bieber.
The Come and Get It hitmaker endured a tough 2014 after undergoing a stint in rehab at the start of the year and then reconciling with, and splitting from, Bieber in the subsequent months.
She recently admitted she doesn't handle the pressures of fame "as well as people think", and now, in a candid new interview with her Spring Breakers co-star James Franco for V magazine, Gomez reveals her personal troubles led to her hiding out from the paparazzi.
The singer/actress, who posed topless, with her hands covering her bare breasts, for the magazine cover shoot, says, "There were a few months where I was a little depressed, where I wouldn't leave (my home) as much. I think I drove myself crazy for a little bit. It was just easier to say, 'Hey, do you mind running to the grocery store and picking some stuff up? I don't want to get photographed.'"
Gomez insists the anxiety is still an issue for her, but she is gradually learning to overcome her insecurities: "As much as I don't like to wake up and think about that it's there (her anxiety), it's naturally just there. My response was to stay in, which sucked. That's what I was trying to fix this past year, I'm finally getting a little bit more comfortable."
She adds, "I don't read anything about me anymore at all. I don't spend my time tiptoeing around certain things, because the things I'm going to do aren't bad. I'll be 23 soon and I could go to a bar or go to the movies. I could do what I like."
And Gomez also claims she has no regrets about her relationship with Bieber, insisting she prefers to treat every experience as a life lesson. The singer, who has since been romantically linked to DJ Zedd, continues, "I feel the best I've ever felt in my life. Super stoked that I've got some bumps on me, some scars, some bruises. I actually love that. And I don't mean that in a morbid way. It was great to experience really beautiful things, and then, you know, have the growing pains, in every possible manner, in every relationship...
"I think the next time (I have a boyfriend) will be much different... That's a growing up kind of thing. I was 18 years old, and it was my first love. The older I get, I'm guarding certain things more."
"When you're young and you're being told so many different things... it almost felt like all we had was each other, like the world was against us, in a way. It was really weird but it was incredible. I would never take it back in a million years."

Justin Timberlake teamed up with comedy pal Jimmy Fallon to launch the star-studded Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary special on U.S. TV on Sunday (15Feb15). Former SNL regular Dan Aykroyd urged viewers to "stay tuned" for the three-and-a-half hour show during the red carpet pre-show, insisting, "You're never gonna see TV like this again", and he wasn't wrong.
Timberlake kicked off the proceedings by interrupting his pal Fallon's opening song-and-dance number to join him for a rap number, referencing some of the show's most famous catchphrases and skits.
The two pals closed their i with a song-and-dance number, in which they named SNL's most famous comedians.
Sir Paul McCartney and Paul Simon then teamed up during a second monologue, during which Steve Martin fought to convince the starry audience that he was the best host - over Tom Hanks, Alec Baldwin, Melissa McCarthy, Chris Rock and Miley Cyrus.
In among the medley of historical skits, dotted throughout the special, there were also updates of classic sketches, including a celebrity Jeopardy gameshow, featuring Jim Carrey as Matthew McConaughey, an updated Wayne's World, and spoof soap The Californians with Bradley Cooper as a pool boy, Kerry Washington as a doctor and Taylor Swift as a hippie actress, which ended with Cooper smooching Betty White.
Other highlights included Keith Richards introducing McCartney's rendition of Maybe I'm Amazed, Edward Norton, Melissa McCarthy and Emma Stone impersonating their favourite SNL characters, and Miley Cyrus covering Simon's 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover.
The oddest moment came when rapper Kanye West performed his hit Jesus Walks while lying on the floor, beneath an illuminated white sheet. West eventually stood and sang his new song Only One.
Star guests also included Robert De Niro, Jack Nicholson, Jerry Seinfeld, James Franco and Michael Douglas and former SNL regulars Eddie Murphy, Adam Sandler, Chevy Chase, Will Ferrell and Bill Murray.
The marathon special ended with a performance from Paul Simon, but there was no 'N Sync reunion, as had been rumoured earlier in the day.

James Franco has been cast to star in the small screen adaptation of Stephen King's novel 11/22/63, which chronicles the assassination of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy.
The Oscar nominee will play high school teacher Jake Epping, who travels back in time to prevent the murder of the political leader in 1963.
Franco will produce the nine-part series for Internet streaming service Hulu alongside Star Trek filmmaker J.J. Abrams. The project marks the actor's first regular TV role since his stint on U.S. soap opera General Hospital in 2012.

Organizers of a porn film festival in New York have axed a raunchy Miley Cyrus video from the line-up.
The pop star hit headlines this week (beg09Feb15), when it was revealed her black and white short film Tongue Tied, in which she is seen cavorting in latex underwear, was to be screened at the upcoming NYC Porn Film Festival. However, the footage, which was shown during the singer's Bangerz tour last year (14), has now been removed from festival listings and a representative for Cyrus insists the singer has no association with the event.
The spokesperson tells Buzzfeed.com, "Miley was proud to make a film with acclaimed filmmaker Quentin Jones. Neither she nor Quentin are participating in this 'festival' in any way."
Festival founder Simon Leahy adds, "We have removed any mention of (the) Miley Cyrus... film across all our media platforms.... We hoped the film (would be) screened alongside great artists such as Amalia Ulman, Bradford Kessler, Richard Kern, Beth B, James Franco, Narcissister, (and) would create a bigger discourse around art, sexuality, gender and pornography."

DVD copies of Seth Rogen's comedy The Interview will be dropped in North Korea by hydrogen balloons. At a press conference during the Berlin Film Festival in Germany on Monday (09Feb15), Jaka Bizilj, the founder and chairman of the Cinema for Peace Foundation, announced his organisation will spearhead the project, but refused to confirm a date.
North Korean leaders moved to block the release of the film, which chronicles an assassination of the country's leader Kim Jong-Un, and cyber terrorists hacked into Sony's databases in a bid to prompt movie executives to think twice about releasing the film, as planned, on Christmas Day (25Dec14).
Studio heads initially caved and pulled the film, but then quickly changed their minds and handed copies to independent cinemas all over the U.S.
And now the film is heading to North Korea by air.
Bizilj told reporters, "We will start sending hydrogen balloons with DVDs of The Interview to North Korea so that the people there can watch the movie. They can copy the movie and have their own impression if it's a good or bad movie, because for us, it's not a question of whether it's good or bad; no matter if you like something or not, you have to fight for freedom to exercise this art."
He added the timing and exact location of the drop wouldn't be revealed, as it could endanger locals: "The army will stop anyone even picking up a copy of the DVD."
The film's star, James Franco, was also present at the press conference, as were Pussy Riot stars Nadya Tolokonnikova and Masha Alyokhina, who performed their first English-language song at the festival on Monday night.

Joan Rivers' daughter Melissa was on hand to accept her mother's first Grammy Award at the prizegiving on Sunday (08Feb15), calling the posthumous win "bittersweet". The late comedienne landed the Best Spoken Word Album trophy for her memoir Diary of a Mad Diva, beating out the likes of James Franco, singer Gloria Gaynor and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter.
Melissa, along with her 14-year-old son Cooper, attended the Los Angeles ceremony to accept the prize, and she tells E! News, "It's a difficult moment. It's a little bittersweet. She was nominated once for her comedy album - was never nominated once for any other books. And it's like, now she goes and wins? But it's wonderful how loved she was and how she's getting so much attention now, and people really understanding what she was about."
Rivers was previously nominated for Best Comedy Album in 1984 for What Becomes a Semi-Legend Most?
The veteran comedienne passed away aged 81 in September (14), a week after she suffered a cardiac arrest during a routine throat procedure.

James Franco fell ill amid the furore over his controversial movie The Interview due to the "pressure" placed on him following the Sony Pictures hacking scandal and the cancellation of the film's cinema release. The actor and his The Interview co-star Seth Rogen were thrust into the limelight last year (14) when hackers infiltrated the studio's database and began leaking private emails, movie scripts and stars' personal details.
It was suggested that the cyber-criminals had links to North Korea and carried out the attack as revenge for the studio's controversial comedy, which depicts the assassination of the country's leader Kim Jong-un.
The Interview was later pulled from release in the U.S. after a threat was issued to any cinemas showing it, and movie bosses called off Franco and Rogen's press tour to promote the film.
Franco has now opened up about the problems he faced during the height of the controversy, revealing the stress of the situation made him ill.
He tells Variety.com, "It was really out of my hands. It was a situation where there was nothing for me to do. As soon as they called the press off, and the movie was pulled from theatres, there was nothing to do. They weren't looking to me to make any decisions. It was just sitting around and staying quiet. That said, there was this pressure. There was so much attention on it - attention on a level you never expected. It was a shock to my system, and I got sick. But I was never scared for my safety or anything."

Joined cast of ABC's "General Hospital" with recurring role of serial killer Franco

Starred in Danny Boyle's "127 Hours" as Aron Ralston, the American mountain climber who was trapped by a boulder for nearly five days before amputating his own arm

First major film role, romantic high school comedy "Whatever It Takes"

Once again teamed with Tobey Maguire and director Sam Raimi to play Harry Osborn in "Spider-Man 3"

Played Robert De Niro's son in drama "City by the Sea"

Reprised role of Harry Osborn for "Spider-Man 2"

Played title role in fantasy adventure "Oz the Great and Powerful," directed by Sam Raimi

Co-starred with Seth Rogen in "Pineapple Express," co-written and co-produced by Rogen and Judd Apatow

Co-starred in WWII drama "The Great Raid"

Appeared in teen comedy "Never Been Kissed"

Played lead role in WWI adventure "Flyboys"

Co-starred with Julia Roberts in "Eat Pray Love," based on Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir; Roberts portrayed the author who, after a painful divorce, goes on a life-changing journey through Italy, India, and Indonesia

Guest starred on episode of NBC's "30 Rock" as himself and carried on a fake romance with Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski)

Summary

During the 1990s, actor James Franco broke out as one of the era's go-to guys by playing sports heroes, disaffected pretty boys and rebellious burnouts with equal appeal. His career began in the brilliant-but-canceled television comedy series "Freaks and Geeks" (NBC, 1999-2000), and while Franco's portrayal of a moody dreamboat on the series won him a legion of love-struck teenage fans, it was his impressive portrayal of legendary Hollywood bad boy James Dean in the made-for-cable biopic "James Dean" (TNT, 2001) that cemented Franco's status as a serious actor. Keeping one foot in commercial waters, Franco landed a high-profile supporting role as the son of the villainous Green Goblin in director Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" film series (2002, 2004, 2007), as Peter Parker's best friend and romantic rival, Harry Osborne. Franco's Independent Spirit Award-nominated turn as a gay civil rights activist in the biopic "Milk" (2008) and his popularity in the stoner buddy comedy "Pineapple Express" (2008) confirmed his versatility, as well as his appeal with both mainstream and art house audiences. Although his trip to Port Charles as a recurring villain on the soap "General Hospital" (ABC, 1963- ) was a head-scratcher, it just solidified Franco's reputation as a guy up for anything. His career really took off with his Oscar-nominated performance as trapped mountain climber Aron Ralston in the gut-wrenching "127 Hours" (2010), though his co-hosting duties with Anne Hathaway during those same Academy Awards were critically derided. Still, the good-natured and fearless Franco escaped the ceremonies relatively unscathed and continued to remain one of Hollywood's more enigmatic, yet appealing young actors.

Education

Name

Columbia University

Playhouse West

Yale University

University of California, Los Angeles

New York University

Robert Carnegie's Playhouse West

Notes

"I almost feel like this is a transition period for me. Until now, I played a lot of tortured young men, and now it seems like it's going into something else. But what is that? Who am I, and who will that be? That's what I'm finding out." – Franco to Interview magazine, February 2006

Franco was named the 2009 Man Of The Year from Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Theatrical Society.

"...In 'Eat Pray Love,' my character mostly appears in the first twenty pages of the book. And I can definitely say I read the first twenty pages." – Franco quoted in Esquire, September 2010